An island off an island. Vestmannaeyjar is a cluster of islands south of Iceland. The largest one of them, Heimaey is a residential area, a small town with a population of 4,135 people. In 1973 the Eldfell Volcano erupted in Vestmannaeyjar forcing the whole population to evacuate to mainland Iceland for at least a month. Afterwards came a period of building up the town again, since about fifth of the town was destroyed by the lava flow. The island is known for its versatile birdlife. For...

The popularity of the puffin as an item to view has increased considerably in recent years. Before tourism exploded in Iceland very few people paid much attention to the puffin apart from those who hunted the bird. Particular attention was on the other hand given to the puffin in the Westman Islands south of Iceland, where it was a “national sport” to hunt puffins at a particular time of the year. The puffin hunting in The Westman Islands is an ancient tradition. Although the small bird is...

Yet again we want to encourage visitors to pay extra attention to the various details, hidden in the overwhelming landscape of Iceland. This photo is taken, on a hike we went on in Nýidalur (New Valley) in the heart of the Icelandic highland. Muddy layers next to the turquoise coloured water form an organic pattern that could almost be mistaken for car tier traces, although this bay-mud is much more beautiful. These soil layers of soft, unconsolidated clay, saturated with water are normally in...

Throughout the centuries Icelanders have been very efficient and almost pedantic in giving names to every small piece of item in the landscape throughout the whole country. Wherever you go, everything from a high and mighty mountain to a low hill seems to have a name. Every creek and every river have a name. Every waterfall in our extensive variety of small and large falls has a name. And believe me, we have hundreds of waterfalls. Every cliff, lava field, every lake, every cave, every hot...

Here we have the second highest waterfall in Iceland, which is how it deserves its name, Háifoss or The High Waterfall. Since it is so high, it feels relevant to show it in parts, although you can also see beautiful photographs of the whole waterfall here. This photo shows the very start of it, zoomed in, to also be able to enjoy the detailed layers of different rock and mud around it, including tiny basalt rock formations. Háifoss is situated close to the volcano Hekla, as well as the famous...

Around the country in many of the recommended pitstops the facilities are always getting better. Whether it is a walking path to experience safely a family of geysers, a support rail to step in to the slippery hot spring or a sightseeing platform like this one. As we have mentioned before there are many ways of viewing Ófærufoss, and this particular platform lets one see the waterfall as a whole from above. It is great when these interventions are subtle and don’t disturb the surrounding view....

In many places deep in the Highland in Iceland, you can find unusual and almost strange sights. Sometimes dark sites, boiling sites, vast view, strange lava formation and much more. One such place is near Lakagígar where we have vast carpets of lava, a lot of ash, dust, and black sands. This is also at an altitude where vegetation has difficulties to grow and sustain. Sometimes while traveling in the Highland you can experience the dark sand continuing all around you form kilometers after...

We have often discussed the highland of Iceland. It is by any measure a very exciting and fascinating place. Not only is there a vast spectrum of diversity in the landscape but it is also a pleasant and peaceful place to visit. You can choose many hiking trails and walk through many different kind of mountains, canyons, fissures and valleys while viewing waterfalls, lava, and craters that once delivered glowing lava. When hiking you can choose an infinitive number of places to put up your...

This amazing rock formation is said to have formed during Ice Age, when sea level was higher and its waves formed the facade of the rocks. These columnar basalt forms are called Dverghamrar or The Dwarf Cliffs. It is a perfect pitstop when travelling in the southern region of Iceland, situated only 10 km east of the Kirkjubæjarklaustur village. This might be one of the most grand homes of dwarfs and elves in Iceland so naturally the cliffs are treated respectfully, since no one wants to risk...

Much of the photos from Iceland are naturally stunning pictures of natural wonders during the blooming summer months. Waterfalls surrounded by colorful vegetation, gray and green moss over fields of lava, rhyolite mountains with stunning colors and stunning overview of beautiful fjords and the list can go on. In winter most of the landscape is either covered with snow or quite monotonous and colorless. But that doesn't necessarily make it less interesting. There are many photo opportunities in...